Gender Studies Concentration

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A Gender Studies Concentration offers students the opportunity to explore traditional disciplines through an interdisciplinary perspective that focuses on the significance of gender as a social construct. Students study the unique contributions of women and men to society, science, humanities, and the arts; the importance of gender and gender roles in a variety of social and historical contexts; and new scholarly methods and theories arising from interdisciplinary study. The concentration encourages students to examine historical and contemporary representations of women and men in religion, in the arts and literature, in social and political theory, and in the sciences. It fosters scholarly investigation that recognizes gender as an empirical reality. While the immediate goal of Gender Studies is to stimulate intellectual curiosity and to provide new strategies for investigation, the long-term goal is to help Davidson men and women function freely and fairly in the world.

Requirements:

1. Satisfactory completion of 5 courses to include:

a. one introductory course from:

b. one 400-level seminar or a department seminar to be designated by the Advisory Committee;

c. three electives, one of which must be at the 300- or 400-level.

Electives are selected from any course in section a. above as well as the following group:

2. A maximum of one elective may be an independent study, tutorial or practicum.

3. Only two courses in the concentration may be in the student’s major field of study.

4. A grade of “C-’’ or higher is required in all courses applied toward the concentration.

Additional Information

The above list, while as complete as possible, is not exhaustive. Every semester, as new courses are developed and extant courses are revised, there are often courses not on this list which can be approved as electives for the Gender Studies Concentration. In addition, many departments offer special topics courses that can be approved as electives for the Gender Studies Concentration. Please check with the faculty liaison for the most current, complete listing of approved electives when planning a program of study. If there is a question about when a particular elective will next be offered, please consult the department offering that course.

Application Procedure

The faculty liaison is Dr. Ann Fox, representing the Gender Studies Advisory Committee. Students shall meet with the faculty liaison to declare the concentration by the last day of fall semester of the junior year. During this meeting, the student and faculty liaison will discuss the courses to be used to satisfy the concentration requirements. If one of the proposed electives is an independent study, tutorial, practicum, or internship, the student shall provide to the faculty liaison for the Advisory Committee’s approval a complete description of that course prior to the term of enrollment. Certification of completion of all the requirements for the concentration is made by the Registrar upon the recommendation of the Gender Studies Advisory Committee.